The information below is taken from the printed catalog the college produces each year. For more up to date information, including links to course websites, faculty homepages, reserve readings, and more, use the 'courses' or semester specific link to your left.

15. Introduction to Buddhist Traditions. (SA) (Also Religion 23.) See Religion 23.

Omitted 2007-08. Professor Heim.

18. From the Floating World to an Urban Vision—Japanese Prints and Photography. (Also Fine Arts 34.) See Fine Arts 34.

Omitted 2007-08. Professor Morse.

19. The Tea Ceremony and Japanese Culture. (Also Fine Arts 83.) See Fine Arts 83.

Limited to 20 students. Second semester. Professor Morse.

21. Traditional Japanese Literature. (J) This course is an introduction to traditional Japanese literature from the beginning of Japan’s written language to the early commercialization of literature around 1800. The course is organized thematically, but will move in chronological fashion. Whether dealing with tales of courtly romance, the stirring account of the Genpei War in The Tale of the Heike, 17-syllable haiku poems, or the explosively popular play, Chūshingura (the famous story of the 47 rōnin), special emphasis will be placed throughout the term on the communal production/consumption of literature, which is one of the distinctive features of artistic life in premodern Japan. This course assumes no prior knowledge of Japan or Japanese, and all texts are taught using English translations.

Limited to 20 students. First semester. Professor Van Compernolle.

22. Indian Civilization. (SA) (Also Anthropology 21.) See Anthropology 21.

First semester. Professor Babb.

23. Arts of Japan. (J) (Also Fine Arts 48.) See Fine Arts 48.

Omitted 2007-08. Professor Morse.

24. Chinese Civilization. (C) (Also History 15.) See History 15.

First semester. Professor Dennerline.

25. Japanese History to 1700. (J) (Also History 17.) See History 17.

First semester. Professor Maxey.

26. Middle Eastern History: 600-1800. (WA) (Also History 19.) See History 19.

First semester. Professor Ringer.

27. Fictions of Desire: The Demimonde in Japan. (J) This course explores the demimonde—the world of prostitutes, geisha, and hostesses—in Japan from the seventeenth century to the present. In Japan, in particular, the demimonde has been the focus of much artistic work that is revealing of larger social concerns. Besides being the central node of the sex trade, the demimonde also functions as a site where society explores the effects of desire on the social order, projects its fantasies about male/female relations, and turns certain types of female roles into symbols of “Woman” in general. The goals of this course are to learn how the demimonde arose, how it has been transformed over time, how women have been positioned within it, and how it interfaces with the wider social world. We will use narrative fiction, film, historical scholarship, autobiography, art, theatrical works, and anthropology so that we gain a nuanced and complete picture of this unique milieu. No prior knowledge of Japan or Japanese is required, and students in Asian studies, Women’s Studies, Cultural Studies, Comparative Literature, and other disciplines are welcome.

Limited to 20 students. First semester. Professor Van Compernolle.

28. The Dao of Sex: Sexuality in China, Past and Present. (C) (Also Women’s and Gender Studies 05.) This survey course will focus on sexual culture in China, from pre-Qin times to the present. Using various sources such as ancient medical texts, Daoist manuals, court poetry and Confucian classics, paintings and illustrated books, movies and documentaries, as well as modern and pre-modern fiction written both in the classic and vernacular languages, we will explore notions of sex, sexuality, and desire. Through the lens of cultural history and gender studies, we will try to reconstruct the genealogy of the discourses centered around sex that developed in China, at all levels of society, throughout 5,000 years. Among the topics covered will be sexual yoga, prostitution, pornography, and sex-tourism.

Limited to 25 students. First semester. Professor Zamperini.

29. Fashion Matters: Clothes, Bodies and Consumption in East Asia. (Also Women’s and Gender Studies 13.) This course will focus on both the historical and cultural development of fashion, clothing and consumption in East Asia, with a special focus on China and Japan. Using a variety of sources, from fiction to art, from legal codes to advertisements, we will study both actual garments created and worn in society throughout history, as well as the ways in which they inform the social characterization of class, ethnicity, nationality, and gender attributed to fashion. Among the topics we will analyze in this sense will be hairstyle, foot-binding and, in a deeper sense, bodily practices that inform most fashion-related discourses in East Asia. We will also think through the issue of fashion consumption as an often-contested site of modernity, especially in relationship to the issue of globalization and world-market. Thus we will also include a discussion of international fashion designers, along with analysis of phenomena such as sweatshops.

Limited to 25 students. Second semester. Professor Zamperini.

30. India in Film: Hollywood, Bollywood, Mollywood. A study of selected films from India, Europe, and the United States ranging from popular cinema (Meera Nam Joker, Taal, Indian, Kal Ho Na Ho, Gunga Din, Bhawani Junction, Black Narcissus, Gandhi, Passage to India) to art cinema (Satyajit Ray’s Apu Trilogy, Charulata, Spices, Samskara, Salaam Bombay). In which ways are the themes, characters, plot, structures and techniques of the films culturally specific? Using Edward Said’s book Orientalism as a starting point, this course will explore how Western films deal with the exotic and, conversely, how Indian films present the idea of Self and reaffirm (or contradict) the ideals and values of Indian society.

Limited to 30 students. Second semester. Professor Emeritus Reck.

31. Asian Studies Colloquium: Buddhist Literary Cultures. (Also Religion 71.) A close study of a focused topic that has broad significance in Asian Studies. Normally to be team-taught by two faculty of the department. The approach will be multidisciplinary; the goal of the course will be to explore a subject of interest in Asian Studies that also has suggestive implications for issues in the humanities and social sciences.

This course studies Buddhist literature and literary aesthetics from South Asia, China, Tibet, and Japan. We will consider several genres including biographies of the Buddha, hagiographies, sutras, epics, folk tales, poetry, short stories, plays, and novels. We will explore how literature may be uniquely empowered to generate and reflect certain sensibilities and to make certain truths known. We will also be focusing on what the texts mean for the people who write, hear, read, and preserve them and how these meanings occur over time. By examining how literary ideals inflect religious, ethical, and political values (and vice versa), we will be attentive to how literary communities and institutions work. Students in the course will experiment with writing and appreciating poetry by participating in a “Haiku Slam.”

Limited to 30 students. Second semester. Professors Heim and Zamperini.

33. Modern and Contemporary Japanese Literature. (J) This course is an introduction to modern and contemporary Japanese literature through readings and discussions of short stories, novels, drama, and poetry from mainland Japan and Okinawa. The course deals with both literary and cultural issues from around 1800 to the present day, with particular emphasis placed on how literature has reflected and responded to the vertiginous transformations undergone by Japan in the last two centuries: the rise of a commercial economy, the encounter with the West, rapid modernization and the emergence of consumer culture, imperial expansion, war, defeat, democratization, and finally vaulting back onto the world stage as a postmodern economic superpower. This course assumes no prior knowledge of Japan or Japanese, and all texts are taught using English translations.

Limited to 20 students. Second semester. Professor Van Compernolle.

34. Japanese Cinema. (J) This course will investigate the Japanese film as a narrative art, as a formal construct, and as a participant in larger aesthetic and social contexts. In particular, the relationship between the individual and the mise-en-scène will be a major theme throughout the term. We will cover the first hundred years of Japanese cinema, from the very first film footage shot in Japan in 1897 through the golden age of studio cinema in the 1950s, to important independent filmmakers working today. We will cover silent films, talkies, and animation. The course includes the major genres of Japanese film and influential schools/movements. Students will also learn and get extensive practice using the vocabulary of the discipline of film studies. This course assumes no prior knowledge of Japan or Japanese, and all films have English subtitles.

Limited to 20 students. Second semester. Professor Van Compernolle.

35. Dreamlands: The Universe of Dreams in Chinese Literature. (C) The course will explore the world of dreams in pre-modern, modern and contemporary Chinese literature and culture. Beginning with Daoist and Buddhist sources, and proceeding in a chronological fashion, we will navigate the dreamscapes mapped by traditional oneiromancy, philosophy, poetry, drama, fiction, all the way to contemporary theatrical and cinematic discourse. We will look at the semantic and aesthetic function of dreams in the changing world of Chinese culture, connecting our findings to recent discoveries in the fields of contemporary psychology, psychoanalysis and neuroscience. Where possible, we will also engage in comparison with dream-related practices and traditions in other East Asian contexts, such as Tibet and Japan.

First semester. Professor Zamperini.

36. A History of Love: Chinese Romance in Time. (C) The course will deal with the world of romance in traditional Chinese culture. Following the thematic arrangement found in the seventeenth-century text Qingshi, A History of Love, an encyclopedic work about the various forms love can take, we will read and analyze stories, novels, poetry and plays from historical periods trying to piece together a coherent frame of all the discourses circulating about the experience of passion, love and lust from the Tang dynasty up until the early twentieth century. We will engage in comparisons with other East Asian traditions as well as with the Western discourses of romantic and courtly love, with the goal to generate meaningful cross-cultural exchanges.

Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 15 students. Omitted 2007-08. Professor Zamperini.

38. From Edo to Tokyo: Japanese Art from 1600 to the Present. (J) (Also Fine Arts 62.) See Fine Arts 62.

First semester. Professor Morse.

39. Islamic Ethics. (Also Religion 57.) See Religion 57.

Omitted 2007-08.

43. Arts of China. (Also Fine Arts 47.) See Fine Arts 47.

Omitted 2007-08. Professor Morse.

44. Approaches to Chinese Painting. (Also Fine Arts 61.) See Fine Arts 61.

Omitted 2007-08. Professor Morse.

45. Japan as Empire, 1895-1945. (J) (Also History 55) See History 55.

First semester. Professor Maxey.

46. Modern China. (C) (Also History 16.) See History 16.

Second semester. Professor Dennerline.

47. Modern Japanese History: 1800-2000. (J) (Also History 18.) See History 18.

Second semester. Professor Maxey.

48. The Modern Middle East: 1800 to Present. (Also History 20.) See History 20.

Second semester. Professor Ringer.

49. China in the World, 1895-1919. (C) (Also History 57.) See History 57.

First semester. Professor Dennerline.

50. Religion and Society in Greater China. (C) (Also History 58.) See History 58.

Second semester. Professor Dennerline.

51. Topics in Tokugawa Japan. (Also History 59.) See History 59.

Omitted 2007-08. Professor Maxey.

55. Early Islam: Construction of an Historical Tradition. (Also History 60.) See History 60.

Omitted 2007-08. Professor Ringer.

56. Sufism. (Also Religion 53.) See Religion 53.

Omitted 2007-08.

58. Buddhist Ethics. (Also Religion 27.) See Religion 27.

Second semester. Professor Heim.

60. Religion and Society in the South Asian World. (SA) (Also Anthropology 34.) See Anthropology 34.

Second semester. Professor Babb.

61. Sacred Images and Sacred Space (Also Fine Arts 66.) See Fine Arts 66.

Second semester. Professor Morse.

62. The History and Memory of the Asian-Pacific War. (Also History 90.) See History 90.

Not open to first-year students. Limited to 15 students. Second semester. Professor Maxey.

63. Women in the Middle East. (WA) (Also History 62 and Women’s and Gender Studies 62.) See History 62.

First semester. Professor Ringer.

64. Seminar on Middle Eastern History. (Also History 93.) See History 93.

Not open to first-year students. Limited to 20 students. Second semester. Professor Ringer.

69. Theravada Buddhism. (SA) (Also Religion 26.) See Religion 26.

First semester. Professor Heim.

77, 78. Senior Departmental Honors.

First and second semesters.

97, 98. Special Topics. Independent Reading Course.

First and second semesters. Members of the Department.

Arabic

First- and second-year Arabic are offered as part of the Five College Near Eastern Studies Program. When omitted at Amherst, these courses are offered at the University of Massachusetts and one of the other college campuses. Arabic 01 is numbered 126 and Arabic 02 is numbered 146 and are offered at the University of Massachusetts. Third-year Arabic courses are also offered there as Arabic 326 and 426. Advanced Arabic courses are taught by special arrangement with faculty members in the department. For more information, contact Five College Arabic Program Director Tayeb El-Hibri. See also Five College Courses by Five College Faculty in this Catalog.

01. First-Year Arabic I. This year-long course introduces the basics of Modern Standard Arabic, also known as Classical Arabic. It begins with a coverage of the alphabet, vocabulary for everyday use, and essential communicative skills relating to real-life and task-oriented situations (queries about personal well-being, family, work, and telling the time). Students will concentrate on speaking and listening skills, as well as on learning the various forms of regular verbs, and on how to use an Arabic dictionary.

First semester. Omitted at Amherst College 2007-08. (To be offered at the University of Massachusetts as Arabic 126.)

02. First-Year Arabic II. A continuation of Arabic 01.

Requisite: Arabic 01 or equivalent. Second semester. Omitted at Amherst College 2007-08. (To be offered at the University of Massachusetts as Arabic 146.)

03. Second-Year Arabic I. This course expands the scope of the communicative approach, as new grammatical points are introduced (irregular verbs), and develops a greater vocabulary for lengthier conversations. Emphasis is placed on reading and writing short passages and personal notes. This second-year of Arabic completes the introductory grammatical foundation necessary for understanding standard forms of Arabic prose (classical and modern literature, newspapers, film, etc.) and making substantial use of the language.

Requisite: Arabic 02 or equivalent. First semester. Omitted at Amherst College 2007-08. (To be offered at the University of Massachusetts as Arabic 226.)

04. Second-Year Arabic II. Continued conversations at a more advanced level, with increased awareness of time-frames and complex patterns of syntax. Further development of reading and practical writing skills.

Requisite: Arabic 03 or equivalent or consent of the instructor. Second semester. Omitted at Amherst College 2007-08. (To be offered at the University of Massachusetts as Arabic 246.)

97, 98. Special Topics. Independent Reading Course.

First and second semesters. Five College Teachers of Arabic.

Chinese

01. First-Year Chinese I. This course, along with Chinese 02 in the spring semester, is an elementary introduction to Mandarin Chinese offered for students who have no Chinese-speaking backgrounds. The class takes an integrated approach to basic language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and it emphasizes pronunciation and the tones, Chinese character handwriting, and the most basic structure and patterns of Chinese grammar. The class meets five times per week (lectures on MWF and drill sessions on TTh).

Limited to 30 students. First semester. Lecturer Shen.

02. First-Year Chinese II. A continuation of Chinese 01. By the end of the course, students are expected to have a good command of Mandarin pronunciation, the basic grammar structures, an active vocabulary of 700 Chinese characters, and basic reading and writing skills in the Chinese language. The class meets five times per week (lectures on MWF and drill sessions on TTh). This course prepares students for Chinese 05 (Second-year Chinese I).

Requisite: Chinese 01 or equivalent. Limited to 30 students. Second semester. Lecturer Shen.

03. Heritage Chinese I. An intensive introductory course for heritage language learners who have near-native speaking ability in Chinese with very little or no knowledge in written Chinese. Building upon the students’ oral/aural abilities, this course aims to develop students’ communicative competence in all four skills, with special emphasis on reading and writing. By the end of the course, students are expected to have a good command of Mandarin pronunciation, part of the basic grammar structures, an active vocabulary of 600 Chinese characters, and basic reading and writing skills in the Chinese language. Three class hours are supplemented by two drill sessions.

Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 10 students. First semester. Senior Lecturer Li.

04. Heritage Chinese II. A continuation of Chinese 03, the second intensive introductory course for heritage language learners who have near-native speaking ability in Chinese but want to develop their reading and writing skills. By the end of the course, students are expected to be able to master an active vocabulary of 1,200 Chinese characters, to have a good command of the basic grammar structures and idiomatic expressions, to conduct conversations and discussion with standard Mandarin pronunciation, and to comprehend and write short stories and essays on daily matters in modern Chinese. Three class hours are supplemented by two drill sessions. This course prepares students for Chinese 07 (Third-year Chinese I)

Requisite: Chinese 03 or equivalent. Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 10 students. Second semester. Senior Lecturer Li.

05. Second-Year Chinese I. This course is designed for students who have completed first year Chinese classes. The emphasis will be on the basic grammatical structures. The course reinforces the four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) through vigorous drills and practices. There will be three class meetings and two drill sessions each week.

Requisite: Chinese 02 or equivalent. Limited to 18 students. First semester. Lecturer Teng

06. Second-Year Chinese II. This course is a continuation of Chinese 05. By the end of the semester, most of the basic grammatical structures will be addressed. This course continues to help students develop higher proficiency level on the four skills. Class will be conducted mostly in Chinese. There will be three meetings and two drill sessions each week. This course prepares students for Chinese 07.

Requisite: Chinese 05 or equivalent. Limited to 18 students. Second semester. Lecturer Teng

07. Third-Year Chinese I. This course is designed to expose students to more advanced and comprehensive knowledge of Mandarin Chinese, with an emphasis on both linguistic competence and communicative competence. Expanding of vocabulary and development of reading comprehension will be through different genres of authentic texts. Students will be trained to write short essays on a variety of topics. Three class hours are supplemented by two drill sessions.

Requisite: Chinese 04, 06 or equivalent. First semester. Senior Lecturer Li

08. Third-Year Chinese II. A continuation of Chinese 07, a modern Chinese reading and writing course at the advanced level. Development of the basic four skills will continue to be stressed. It will emphasize both linguistic competence and communicative competence. Acquisition of additional characters will be through authentic readings of different genres. More training will be given on writing with more precision and details. Three class hours are supplemented by two drill sessions. This course prepares students for Chinese 09.

Requisite: Chinese 07 or equivalent. Second semester. Senior Lecturer Li

09 Fourth-Year Chinese I. This course is designed for students who have completed three years of Chinese at the college level. The emphasis is on building substantial sophisticated vocabulary and reading various genres of writings and literary works like newspaper articles, essays, and short novels, etc. Development of a higher level of proficiency of the four skills will be stressed through class discussions, writing compositions, listening to TV news clips and watching movies that are supplemental to the themes of the reading materials. Class will be conducted entirely in Chinese. There will be two class meetings each week.

Requisite: Chinese 08 or equivalent. Admission with consent of the instructor. First semester. Lecturer Teng

10. Fourth-Year Chinese II. This course is a continuation of Chinese 09. More advanced authentic texts of different genres of writings and literary works will be introduced to students. Development of a higher level of proficiency of the four skills will be stressed through class discussions, writing compositions, listening to TV news clips and watching movies that are supplemental to the themes of the reading materials. Class will be conducted entirely in Chinese. There will be two class meetings each week.

Requisite: Chinese 09 or equivalent. Admission with consent of the instructor. Second semester. Lecturer Teng

97, 98. Special Topics. Independent Reading Course.

First and second semesters. Members of the Department.

Japanese

01. Introduction to the Japanese Language. This course is designed for students who have never previously studied Japanese. The course will introduce the overall structure of Japanese, basic vocabulary, the two syllabaries of the phonetic system, and some characters (Kanji). The course will also introduce the notion of “cultural appropriateness for expressions,” and will provide practice and evaluations for all four necessary skills—speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students will be required to practice with the materials that are on the course website at the college. Two group meetings and two individualized or small group evaluations per week are normally required throughout the semester.

First semester. Professor Tawa and Assistant.

01H. Introduction to the Japanese Language I. This course is the first-semester of a non-intensive version of Japanese 01, which is offered regularly in the fall semester. This course is designed for interested students to begin their Japanese study in the spring semester in a non-intensive way. The course content is exactly the same as Japanese 01, but this course in the spring semester covers the first half of a regular Japanese 01 course. The subsequent course, Japanese 02H in the fall semester, covers the second half of a regular Japanese 01 course. Upon completion of Japanese 02H in the fall, interested students are eligible to take a regular Japanese 02 in the spring semester, the next level after Japanese 01.

Second semester. Professor Tawa and Assistant.

02. Building Survival Skills in Japanese. This course is a continuation of Japanese 01. The course will emphasize active learning by each student in the class by means of the materials in the course website and individualized or small group discussions with the instructor. Small groups based on the students’ proficiency levels will be formed, so that instruction accords with the needs of each group. By the end of this course, students are expected to be familiar with most basic Japanese structures, to have acquired a substantial vocabulary, and to have gained sufficient speaking, listening, reading, and writing proficiency levels, which will enable the students to survive using Japanese in Japan. As for literacy, a few hundred new characters (Kanji) will be added by reading and writing longer passages. Two group meetings and two individualized or small group evaluations per week are normally required throughout the semester.

Requisite: Japanese 01 or equivalent. Second semester. Professor Tawa and Assistant.

02H. Introduction to the Japanese Language II. This course is a continuation of Japanese 01H offered in the spring semester and is the second semester of a non-intensive version of Japanese 01, which is offered regularly in the fall semester. The course content is exactly the same as Japanese 01, but this course covers the second half of a regular Japanese 01 course. Upon completion of this course in the fall semester, interested students are eligible to take the regular Japanese 02 in the spring semester, the next level after Japanese 01.

Requisite: Japanese 01H or equivalent. First semester. Professor Tawa.

03. Review and Progress in Japanese. This course is designed for students who have already begun studying Japanese in high school, other schools, or at home before coming to Amherst, but have not finished learning basic Japanese structures or acquired a substantial number of characters (Kanji). This course is also for individuals whose proficiency levels of the four skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) are uneven to a noticeable degree. Small groups based on the students’ proficiency levels will be formed, so that instruction accords with the needs of each group. Students will be required to practice with the materials that are on the course website at the college. Two group meetings and two individualized or small group evaluations per week are normally required throughout the semester.

Requisite: Some Japanese instruction at high school, home, or college. First semester. Professor Tawa and/or the Department.

04. Beyond Basic Japanese. This course is a continuation of Japanese 03. The course will emphasize active learning from each student in the class by the use of the materials on the course website and individual or small group discussions with the instructor. By the end of this course, students are expected to be able to use basic Japanese structures with a substantial vocabulary and to have attained post-elementary speaking, listening, reading, and writing proficiency levels. As for literacy, a few hundred new characters (Kanji) will be added by reading and writing longer passages. Small groups based on the students’ proficiency levels will be formed, so that instruction accords with the needs of each group. Students will be required to practice with the materials that are on the course website at the college. Two group meetings and two individualized or small group evaluations per week are normally required throughout the semester.

Requisite: Japanese 03 or equivalent. Second semester. Professor Tawa and/or the Department.

05. Communicating in Sophisticated Japanese. This course is designed for students who have completed the acquisition of basic structures of Japanese and have learned a substantial number of characters (Kanji) and are comfortable using them spontaneously. The course will emphasize the development of all four skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) at a more complex, multi-paragraph level. For example, students will be trained to speak more spontaneously and with cultural appropriateness in given situations using concrete as well as abstract expressions on a sustained level of conversation. As for literacy, students will be given practice reading and writing using several hundred characters (Kanji). Small groups based on the students’ proficiency levels will be formed, so that instruction accords with the needs of each group. Students will be required to practice with the materials that are on the course website at the college. Two group meetings and two individualized or small group evaluations per week are normally required throughout the semester.

Requisite: Japanese 02, Japanese 04, or equivalent. First semester. Lecturer Kayama and Assistant.

06. Experience with Authentic Japanese Materials. This course is a continuation of Japanese 05. The course will provide sufficient practice of reading authentic texts and viewing films to prepare for the next level, Japanese 11, in which various genres of reading and films will be introduced. Throughout the course, the development of more fluent speech and stronger literacy will be emphasized by studying more complex and idiomatic expressions. Acquisition of an additional few hundred characters (Kanji) will be part of the course. The class will be conducted mostly in Japanese. Small groups based on the students’ proficiency levels will be formed, so that instruction accords with the needs of each group. Students will be required to practice with the materials that are on the course website at the college. Two group meetings and two individualized or small group evaluations per week are normally required throughout the semester.

Requisite: Japanese 05 or equivalent. Second semester. Lecturer Kayama and Assistant.

09H. Conquering Kanji I. Japanese uses three different writing systems, one of which is called Kanji, with characters that were borrowed from China. A linguist, R.A. Miller (1986) in his book Nihongo (Japanese), writes: “The Japanese writing system is, without question, the most complicated and involved system of script employed today by any nation on earth; it is also one of the most complex orthographies ever employed by any culture anywhere at any time in human history.” The difficulty lies not merely in the number of characters that students must learn (roughly a couple of thousand), but also in the unpredictable nature of the ways these characters are used in Japanese. It is not possible in regular Japanese language classes to spend very much time on the writing system because the students must learn other aspects of the language in a limited number of class hours. This writing system is, however, not impossible to learn. In this half course, the students will learn the Japanese writing system historically and metacognitively, in group as well as individual sessions, and aim to overcome preconceived notions of difficulty related to the learning of Kanji. Each student in this class is expected to master roughly 500 Kanji that are used in different contexts.

Requisite: Japanese 01 at Amherst College or its equivalent. First semester. Professor Tawa.

10H. Conquering Kanji II. This course serves either as continuation of Japanese 09H or the equivalent of 09H. See Japanese 09H for the course content.

Requisite: Japanese 01 at Amherst College or its equivalent. Second semester. Professor Tawa.

11. Introduction to Different Genres of Japanese Writing and Film. This course will introduce different genres of writing: short novels, essays, newspaper and magazine articles, poems, expository prose, scientific writings, and others. Various genres of films will also be introduced. Development of higher speaking and writing proficiency levels will be focused upon as well. The class will be conducted entirely in Japanese. Small groups based on the students’ proficiency levels will be formed, so that instruction accords with the needs of each group. Students will be required to practice with the materials that are on the course website at the college. Two group meetings and two individualized or small group evaluations per week are normally required throughout the semester.

Requisite: Japanese 06 or equivalent. First semester. Senior Lecturer Miyama and assistant.

12. Moving From “Learning to Read” to “Reading to Learn” in Japanese. This course will be a continuation of Japanese 11. Various genres of writing and film, of longer and increased difficulty levels, will be used to develop a high proficiency level of reading, writing, speaking, and listening throughout the semester. At this level, the students should gradually be moving from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” This important progression will be guided carefully by the instructor. Small groups based on the students’ proficiency levels will be formed, so that instruction accords with the needs of each group. Students will be required to practice with the materials that are on the course website at the college. Two group meetings and two individualized or small group evaluations per week are normally required throughout the semester.

Requisite: Japanese 11 or equivalent. Second semester. Senior Lecturer Miyama and assistant.

13. Introduction to Thematic Reading and Writing. This course is designed for the advanced students of Japanese who are interested in readings and writings on topics that are relevant to their interests. Each student will learn how to search for the relevant material, read it, and summarize it in writing in a technical manner. The course will also focus on the development of a high level of speaking proficiency. Small groups based on the students’ proficiency levels will be formed, so that instruction accords with the needs of each group. Two group meetings and two individualized or small group evaluations per week are normally required throughout the semester.

Requisite: Japanese 12 or equivalent. First semester. Lecturer Kayama.

14. Thematic Reading and Writing. This course is a continuation of Japanese 13. In addition to learning how to search for the relevant material, read it with comprehension, and produce a high level of writing, the students will learn to conduct a small research project in this semester. The course will also focus on the development of a high level of speaking proficiency through discussions with classmates and the instructor. Small groups based on the students’ proficiency levels will be formed, so that instruction accords with the needs of each group. Two group meetings and two individualized or small group evaluations per week are normally required throughout the semester.

Requisite: Japanese 13 or equivalent. Second semester. Lecturer Kayama.

15. Introduction to Great Books and Films in the Original. This course is designed for students who possess a high proficiency level of speaking but need training in cover-to-cover book reading or film comprehension. Class materials will be selected from well-known books and films. Writing assignments will be given to develop critical and creative writing skills in Japanese. Small groups based on the students’ proficiency levels will be formed, so that instruction accords with the needs of each group. Two group meetings and two individualized or small group evaluations per week are normally required throughout the semester.

Requisite: Japanese 14 or equivalent. First semester. Senior Lecturer Miyama.

16. Great Books and Films in the Original. This course is a continuation of Japanese 15. The course is designed for students who possess a high proficiency level of speaking but need training in cover-to-cover reading or film comprehension. Class materials will be selected from well-known books and films. Writing assignments will be given to develop critical and creative writing skills in Japanese. Small groups based on the students’ proficiency levels will be formed, so that instruction accords with the needs of each group. Two group meetings and two individualized or small group evaluations per week are normally required throughout the semester.

Requisite: Japanese 15 or equivalent. Second semester. Senior Lecturer Miyama.

97, 97H, 98, 98H. Special Topics. Full or half course.

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